Electronic multivibrator



Sept. 8, 1 953 Filqd Dec. 29, 1948 -1470 WU'J c. A. BERGFORS 2,651,722

ELECTRONIC MULTIVIBRATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fjdl Ll zz/m m9; I 4

wow/ms INVENTOR ATTORNEY BY gapp 8, 1953 c. A. BERGFORS 2,651,722

ELECTRONIC MULTIVIBRATOR A'ITGRNEY Patented Sept. 8, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs ELECTRONIC MULTIVIBRATOR Carl A. Bergfors, Yonkers. N. Y., assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 29, 1948, Serial No. 67,886

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to high frequency vacuum tube oscillators and more particularly to a multivibrator type oscillator.

The conventional multivibrator uses two grid controlled vacuum tubes and the plate of each tube is connected to the control grid of the other tube through a capacitor.

Operation of the conventional multivibrator, particularly at high frequencies, is adversely affected by the input capacitance of the tubes which reduces the signal applied to the grids. Use of a cathode follower tube in each coupling lead greatly minimizes this effect since the extremely low impedance of the cathode follower provides an ideal source for driving the relatively high capacitance grids.

Briefly, the multivibrator of the invention employs four vacuum tubes. A first tube has its plate connected through a capacitor to the control grid of a third tube operated as a cathode follower which in turn controls the conduction of a second tube. The second tube has its plate connected through a capacitor to the control grid of a fourth tube operated as a cathode follower which in turn controls the conduction of thee! first tube. The first and second tubes may be considered as a two stage amplifier in which the output of each stage controls the input to the other While the third and fourth tubes comprise buffer networks between the respective outputs and inputs. For the purpose of clarity, the first and second tubes are referred to as multivibrator tubes herein and the third and fourth tubes as cathode follower tubes.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of this invention to provide a novel multivibrator having an upper frequency limit of operation higher than that obtainable from a conventional multivibrator.

Another object is to provide a multivibrator having better frequency stability than the conventional type multivibrator.

A further object is to provide a novel multivibrator circuit having substantially constant frequency stability over a wide range of supply voltage values.

Another object is to provide a multivibrator having a frequency of operation relatively nonresponsive to load variations as compared to that of the conventional multivibrator.

Still another object is to provide a multivibrator wherein a low impedance source is used to control the conduction of the multivibrator tubes.

A further object is to provide a multivibrator 2 wherein the voltage at the plate of each multivibrator tube is used to trigger a cathode follower, the low impedance circuit of which is used to control the conduction of the other multivibrator tube.

Another object is to provide a multivibrator wherein the voltage at the plates of the multivibrator tubes is employed to control the conduction of a tube having lower input capacitance than the multivibrator tubes.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying'drawings, which disclose, by way of examples, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is an equivalent circuit diagram of a cathode follower with a pure resistance load.

Fig. 2 is a circuit diagram of one embodiment of the novel multivibrator of the invention; and

Fig. 3 is a circuit diagram of another embodiment.

Since one of the chief limiting factors aifecting the upper operating speed of conventional dual-tube multivibrator is the input capacitance of the triode amplifier tubes used, ,it is necessary to change the circuit arrangement if the upper operating speed of the multivibrator is to be extended appreciably. Such is obtained in this invention by the use of the cathode follower coupled multivibrator.

To obtain a reliable appraisal of the advantages obtained by use of resistance loaded cathode followers responsive to a change of the plate voltage of each of the multivibrator tubes, it is necessary to determine the input capacitance of both the multivibrator and cathode follower tubes.

Analysis of the cathode follower will be undertaken with reference to Fig. 1 showing the equivalent circuit for a pure resistance loaded cathode follower having a load Rk. The voltage g is impressed on the control grid of the tube and the output voltage 61: appears across the resistor Rk. The capacitance between the control grid and cathode of the tube is represented by Cgk and the capacitance'between the control grid and plate of the tube is represented by 0gp.

It is fundamental that the voltage amplification obtained by any amplifier is the ratio of the output voltage to the input voltage.

The voltage amplification, A, obtained in a cathode follower is the ratio of the cathode voltage, 6k, to the control grid voltage e or Now, substituting the value of CK expressed in (M) for 6k in (N) the following equation is obtained The charge, Q, across any capacitor is equal to the value of the capacitance, C, times the voltage, E, across the capacitor, this is expressed by;

Q=CE (P) It follows that the charge on'the control grid Qgk, due to the grid-cathode capacitance is expressed by the following equation;

Now, substituting the value of egk found in in (Q) the following is obtained;

Also, the charge on the control grid, Q due to the grid-plate capacitance .is expressed by the following equation;

Qar= ap a (S) The total charge'on the control grid, Qg, is equal to the sum of the charges due'to the grid-cathode and grid-plate capacitances, hence by adding (R) and (S) the value of Qg is obtained;

Q p a+ gk(EgA= c/) '(T) From (P) the capacitanceC, may be written as;

It follows that the effective input capacitances, Cg, is obtained by dividing (T) by e hence,

In a similar manner the well known equation for the input capcitance of :a resistance plate loaded triode am lifier may be derived. This equation is as follows;

Equation V indicates that the input capacitance of the cathode follower is less than the sum of the grid-plate and grid-cathode capacitance by the amount of the voltage amplification times the grid-plate capacitance. The subtraction of the quantity Acgk indicates that the voltage applied to the control grid of the tube is in phase with the voltage on the cathode. This means that the feedback voltage through the grid-cathode capacitance is in phase with and tends to sustain the impressed signal voltage. Hence, in the cathode follower circuit, the feed-back caused by the grid-cathode capacitance is utilized to decrease the total input capacitance.

On the other hand equation (W) indicates that the input capacitance of a resistance plate loaded triode amplifier, is greater than the sum of the grid-plate and grid-cathode capacitance by the amount of the voltage am lification times the gridlate capacitance. The addition of the quantity Acgp indicates that the voltage applied to the control grid is degrees out of phase with the plate voltage. This means that the feedback voltage through the grid-plate capacitance opposes the voltage applied to the control grid. Hence, in the plate loaded amplifier circuit the grid-plate capacitance serves to increase the total input capacitance whereas, in the cathode follower circuit, the grid cathode capacitance is utilized to decrease the total input capacitance.

In order to appreciate fully the advantages of the use of the cathode follower circuit the effect of its decreased input capacitance will be pursued further.

Thegrid-cathode capacitance, Cgk of a 12AU7 type tube, including the capacitance of the socket,

is approximately 1.80 micromicrofarads and the grid-plate capacitance, Cgp, is approximately 1.75 micromicrofarads. The voltage amplification, A, obtained when this tube is used in a dualtube multivibrator having the plate of each tube connected to the'control'grid of the other is approximately 10,-while the measured'value of voltage amplification of the tube used in a cathode follower circuit is 0.968. By substituting the above values in Equation W the input capacitance, Cg, of this tube in the multivibrator having the plate of each tube connected to the control grid of the other, is found by computation to be about2l micromicrofarads. By substituting the above values in Equation V the input capacitance, Cg, of the tube, used as a cathode follower, is found to be only 1.8 micromicrofarads.

"Obviously, the input capacitance of this tube, used in the trigger, is almost twelve times that of this tube used in the cathode follower circuit. Hence, by connecting the plates of each amplifier tube to the control grids of the cathode follower tubes, respectively, the capacitive load on the plates of the amplifier tubes is decreased by a factor of twelve. The limiting effect of grid current on the frequency of the output is eliminated since the voltage on the control grids of the cathode follower tubes is never more positive than the voltage on their respective cathodes.

Despite the fact that the control grids of the amplifier tubes present a relatively heavy load, the operation of the multivibrator is substantially unaffected thereby because the voltage on these control grids is supplied from the cathode or low impedance circuit of the cathode follower tubes, respectively. Hence, the current flowing from the control grid to the cathode of the cathode follower tubes, automatically adjusts itself to a substantially constant value, notwithstanding the load presented by the control grids of the amplifier tubes.

The novel use of cathode followers in a multivibrator circuit reduces the time required for the multivibrator to switch from either stable condition to the other. This makes a high frequency output possible at normal pulse amplitudes and provides high frequency stability despite wide variation in the supply voltages and variation in the load. In such an arrangement any suitable type tubes may be used including the miniature type.

While this invention will be described with reference to certain miniature type tubes and the actual values of the components employed therewith, it is understood that the invention is not so limited but that in accordance with the teachings of the invention, any suitable type tubes may be employed and any desired component tubes I2 and I3.

' cathodes rises.

values used which will satisfy the requirements of each particular case.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 2, the trigger is illustrated as comprising a pair of multivibrator tubes I0 and I I and two cathode follower These tubes are actually sections of a 12AU7 miniature type twin triode tube but will be referred to herein as tubes, to facilitate the description.

The cathodes of the tubes I0 and II are connected through conductors I4 and I5, respectively, to a zero volt line I6. The plates of the tubes I0 and II are connected through resistors I! and I8, res ectively, each of 20,000 ohms, to a plus 170 volt line I9.

The plates of the tubes I2 and I3 are directly connected to the plus 170 volt line I9 through conductors 20 and 2|, respectively, and their cathodes to a minus 85 volt line 22, through resistors 23 and 24, respectively, each of 8,200 ohms. The cathode of the tube I2 is directly connected to the control grid of the tube I0 through a conductor 25 and a resistor 26 of 300 ohms. The cathode of the tube I3 is directly connected to the control grid of the tube II through a conductor 2'! and a resistor 28 of 300 ohms. The resistors 26 and 28 are provided to suppress parasitic oscillations.

The plate of tube I0 is connected through a conductor 29 and a capacitor 30 of 0.00005 microfarad to the control grid of the tube I3. The control grid of tube I3 is connected through a resistor 3| of 4,700 ohms to the zero volt line I6.

The plate of tube II is connected through a conductor 32 and a capacitor 33 of 0.00005 microfarad to the control grid of the tube I2. The control grid of the tube I2 is connected through a resistor 34 of 4,700 ohms to the zero volt line I6.

The output of the multivibrator is developed across the load resistor 35 of 500,000 ohms. This resistor 35 is connected at one end to the zero volt line I6 and at the other end to the capacitor 38 of 0.00025 microfarad the other side of which is connected to the cathode of the cathode follower tube I3.

The multivibrator as above described generates a frequency of approximately 840 kilocycles. But, it is understood that circuit components may be varied over a Wide range of values to effect operation at different frequencies.

To operate the multivibrator, the heaters (not shown) of the tubes are turned on permitting the cathodes to reach operating temperature, then voltage is supplied to the plus 1'70 volt line l9 and the minus 85 volt line 22.

Since the control grids of the cathode follower tubes 52 and 13 are connected to the zero volt line I6 and the cathodes of these tubes are connected to the minus 85 volt line 22, the control grids are at a relatively higher voltage than the cathodes. As a result tubes I2 and I3 are initially conductive and the voltage at their The increased voltage at the cathodes of tubes I2 and I3, caused by their conduction, is transferred to the control grids of tubes I0 and II, respectively, through conductor 25 and resistor 26 on one hand and through conductor 21 and resistor 28 on the other. This increased voltage on the control grids of tubes I0 and I I renders them conductive.

However, because of the circuit arrangement and small irregularities in the values of the components used and small differences in the characteristics of the tubes, all four tubes do not remain conductive.

When the conduction of either tube changes, it creates anunbalanced effect in the circuit and either tubes I0 and I2 or tubes II and I3 are rendered non-conductive.

For the purpose of description, it is assumed that the unbalanced effect is created by a slight increase in the conduction of multivibrator tube II. This causes the voltage at the plate of tube II to decrease. The negative pulse at the plate of tube II is transferred over conductor 32 and capacitor 33 to the control grid of tube I2. This causes a decrease in the conduction of tube I2 and a corresponding decrease in the voltage at its cathode. The negative pulse thus produced at the cathode of tube I2 is transferred over conductor 25 and resistor 26, to the control grid of tube I0, to effect a decrease in the conduction of this tube.

The resulting positive pulse at the plate of the tube I0 is transferred over conductor 23 and capacitor 30 to the control grid of tube I3 which causes an increase the conduction of that tube and a corresponding increase in the voltage at its cathode. The positive pulse thus produced at the cathode of tube I 3 is transferred over conductor 21 and resistor 28 to the control grid of tube II causing this tube to become still more conductive and the voltage at its plate to become more negative. This cumulative change in the conduction of the tubes is continued until tubes I 0 and I2 reach out off and tubes l! and I3 are rendered fully conductive.

At the instant when tubes I0 and i2 reach out off, the plate potential of tube i0 is at a maximum value which equals that of line I9. The control grid and hence the cathode of tube I3, as well as the grid of tube I I are all at a positive maximum potential. It follows that the plate potential of tube II has therefore reached its minimum value and can no longer provide capacitor 33 with a negative charge. The existing charge therefore begins to leak off via line 32 and resistor I8 to line I9. This charge, however, has a maximum value sufiicient to drive the grid of tube I2 to approximately minus volts, or 25 volts negative with respect to cathode. As this charge begins to leak off, the grid potential of tube I2 rises accordingly. All other tube element potentials remain at their respective maximum or minimum values until sufficient charge has leaked off of capacitor 33 to raise the grid potential of tube I2 to its critical bias value. Tube I2 then begins to conduct.

This positive pulse at the cathode of the tube I2 transferred over conductor 25 and resistor 25 to the control grid of tube l 0 which becomes conductive and the voltage at its plate decreases accordingly. The negative pulse at the plate of tube I0 is transferred over the conductor 29 and the capacitor 30 to the control grid of tube l3. Tube I3 becomes less conductive and the voltage at its cathode is decreased. The negative pulse at the cathode of tube E3 is transferred over conductor 2'! and resistor 28 to the control grid of tube I I which becomes less conductive and causes the voltage at its plate to increase.

The positive pulse at the plate of tube H is transferred over conductor 32 and capacitor 33 to the control grid of tube I2 to cause it to become more conductive and the voltage at its cathode to increase. The positive pulse at the cathode of tube I2 is transferred over conductor 25 and resistor 26 to the control grid of tube It to render tube I0, more conductive, and cause a further decrease in the voltage at its plate. This cumulative change in the conduction of the tubes h is continued until tubes 10 and I2 reach a state of maximum conduction and tubes H and I3 are rendered non-conductive.

Similarly, the second half of the cycle continues until tubes H and it are conductive and tubes l and H. are non-conductive to thus complete one full cycle of operation.

Referring to Fig. 3, the plates of the multivibrator tubes 20 and H are connected to a plus 150 volt line 50 through resistors IT and [0, respectively, each of 20,000 ohms. The cathode of the cathode follower tube i2 is connected to the zero volt line I6 through resistor 23 of 8,200 ohms and the cathode of the cathode follower tube [3 is connected to the zero volt line !6 through resistor 24 of 8,200 ohms. The control grid of tube i2 is connected through a capacitor 4! of 0.0001 microfarad and conductor 32 to the plate of tube II and also to a minus 10 volt line 42, through a resistor 43 of 100,000 ohms. The control grid of tube i3 is connected through a capacitor 44 of 0.0001 microfarad and conductor 25 to the plate of tube It and also to the minus 10 volt line 42. through a resistor 45 of 100,000 ohms.

The cathode of tube i2 is connected to the control grid of the tube It through a capacitor 36 of 0.00005 microfarad and resistor 26 of 100 ohms. lhe junction of the resistor 26 and capacitor 46 is connected through a current limiting resistor 51 and resistor 48 of 20,000 ohms and 47,000 ohms, respectively, to the minus 10 volt line 42. The junction of the resistors 47 and 48 is connected through a resistor 49 of 36,000 ohms to the cathode of tube 12.

Likewise, the cathode of tube I3 is connected to the control grid of tube I I through a capacitor 50 of 0.00005 microfarad and resistor 23 of 100 ohms. The junction of resistor 28 and capacitor 50 is connected through a current limiting resistor and resistor 52, of 20,000 ohms and 47,000 ohms, respectively, to the minus volt line 42. The junction of resistors 5| and 52 is connected through a resistor 53 of 36,000 ohms to the cathode of tube E3.

The components and connections not specifically pointed out with reference to Fig. 3 are identical with the corresponding part of Fig. 2 and are designated by the same numeral.

The multivibrator shown in Fig. 3, when operated with the components and voltage values as given above, generated. an output frequency of approximately 158 kilocycles across load resistor 35. The frequency stability of this multivibrator was determined by means of frequency measuring equipment accurate to 1 part in 100,000. Varying the potential of line 42 from zero to minus 12 volts produced no measurable change in frequency, while varying the potential of line 40 produced a frequency variation of 1 part in 2000 or 0.05%. This frequency stability is obtained so long as the minus 10 volt line 42 is maintained negative. If the voltage on line 42 is made positive with respect to the line [6 the output frequency of the multi-vibrator is a function of the value of the voltage on line 42. When the voltage on the line 42 was increased to a positive value of 50 volts, the output frequency was increased by a factor of approximately 2.7.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the circuit illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A multivibrator including means for applying operating voltages thereto, first and second multivibrator tubes, alternately automatically conductive and non-conductive and vice versa, a third tube operated as a cathode follower, a fourth tube operated as a cathode follower, a capacitor connected between the plate of the first tube and the control grid of the third tube, a capacitor connected between the plate of the second tube and the control grid of the fourth tube, a connection from the cathode of the third tube to the control grid of the second tube, and a connection from the cathode of the fourth tube to the control grid of the first tube.

2. A- multivibrator including first and second grid controlled tubes alternately automatically conductive and non-conductive "and vice versa; plate resistors in the plate circuit of said tubes; third and fourth grid controlled tubes having their plates connected directly to a voltage source and their cathodes connected to another voltage source through a resistor in the cathode circuit of each; a capacitive connection from the plate of the first tube to the control grid of the third tube for rendering said third tube less conductive and more conductive, respectively, when said first tube becomes more conductive and less conductive; a resistive connection from the cathode of the third tube to the control grid of the second tube for rendering the second tube more conductive and less conductive, respectively, as the third tube becomes more conductive and less conductive; a capacitive connection from the plate of th second tube to the control grid of the fourth tube for rendering said fourth tube more conductive and less conductive, respectively, when said second tube becomes less conductive and more conductive, and a resistive connection from the cathode of the fourth tube to the control grid of the first tube for rendering the first tube more conductive and less conductive, respectively, as the fourth tube becomes more conductive and less conductive.

3. A multivi-brator including first and second grid controlled tubes alternately automatically conductive and non-conductive and vice versa; plate resistors in the plate circuit of said tubes; third and fourth grid controlled tubes each having their plates connected directly to a voltage source and their cathodes connected to another voltage source through a resistor in the cathode circuit of each, the cathodes of said first and second tubes being also connected to the latter voltage source; a capacitive connection from the plate of said first tube to the control grid of said third tube for rendering said third tube more conductive and less conductive respectively when said first tube is less conductive and more conductive; a capacitive connection from the plate of the second tube to the control grid of the fourth tube to render said fourth tube more conductive and less conductive respectively when said second tube is less conductive and more conductive; control grid bias resistors for each of said tubes; a capacitive resistive connection from the cathode of the third tube to the control grid of the second tube and a resistive connection from the control grid bias resistor of the second tube to the cathode of the third tube; a, capacitive resistive connection from the cathode of the fourth tube to the control grid of the first tube, and a resistive connection from the control grid bias resistor of the first tube to the cathode of the fourth tube.

4. A multivibrator comprising a two-stage grid controlled amplifier each stage having an output and an input terminal connected so that the output of each stage controls the input to the other, a cathode follower comprising a tube having at least one grid and connected between the output terminal of each stage and in the input terminal of the other, and circuit means preventing cur rent flow in the grid circuits of the tubes of said cathode follower whereby the frequency of said multivibrator is maintained constant within 0.05%.

CARL A. BERGFORS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,416,292 Dodington Feb. 25, 1947 2,418,826 Engstrom Apr. 15, 1947 2,441,579 Kenyon May 18, 1948 2,454,815 Levy Nov. 30, 1948 2,515,271 Smith July 18, 1950 2,540,539 Moore Feb. 6, 1951 

